AESOP AND RHODOPE 25
Aesop. My freedom? Go, Rhodope! Rhodope! This, of all things, I shall never owe to thee.
' Rhodope. Proud man! and you tell me to go! do you? do you? Answer me at least. Must I? and so soon?
Aesop. Child! begone!
Rhodope. Oh Aesop! you are already more my master than Xanthus, is. I will run and tell him so: and I will implore of him, upon my knees, never to impose on you a command so hard to obey.
AESOP AND RHODOPE Second Conversation
Aesop. And so, our fellow slaves are given to contention on foe score of dignity?
Rhodope. I do not believe they are much addicted to contention: for, whenever the good Xanthus hears a signal of such misbehaviour, he either brings a scourge into the midst of them,. or sends OUT lady to scold them smartly for it.
Aesop. Admirable evidence against their propensity!
Rhodope. I will not have you find them out so, nor laugh at them.
Aesop. Seeing that the good Xanthus and our lady are equally fond of thee, and always visit thee both together, the girls, ^however envious, cannot well or safely be arrogant, but must of necessity yield the first place to thee.
Rhodope. They indeed are observant of the kindness thus bestowed upon me:. yet they afflict me by taunting me continually with what I am unable to deny.
Aesop. If it is true, it ought little to trouble thee ; if untrue, less. I know, for I have looked into nothing else of late, no evil can thy heart have admitted: a sigh of thine before the gods would remove the heaviest that could fall on it. Pray tell me fwhat it may be. Come, be courageous ; be cheerful. I can easily pardon a smile if thou empleadest me of curiosity.